Prisoner who set his body on fire to protest isolation only treated in infirmary

Prisoner Yakup Brukanli, who set his body on fire to protest the severe isolation conditions and violations of rights in Konya Ereğli High Security Prison, was not taken to the hospital, but was treated in the infirmary in reverse handcuffs.

Yakup Brukan was among the dozens of prisoners who went on hunger strike to protest unprecedented rights violations and severe isolation conditions. The 40 prisoners have been on an indefinite and non-alternating hunger strike since 4 October.

Yakup Brukan from Eastern Kurdistan, set his body on fire on 28 October.

Lawyers from the Mersin Branch of the Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD), who met with Brukan in Ereğli Prison upon the application of his family, reported that 40 prisoners were kept in isolation cells.

Lawyers gave the following information about Brukan's health: "He has second degree burns. The whole of his right arm and his waist were burned, the fingers of both his hands were burned. He cannot use his right arm. After he set himself on fire, he was brought back to prison and put in a cell. He is currently staying in the same cell with Osman Pinç. He is not taken to the hospital. Instead, he is treated in the infirmary. Handcuffs are put on while he is being taken to treatment. There is a risk of infection. Brukan applied to be taken to the hospital but his request was rejected. The prison doctor said there was no need to take him to the hospital.”

Lawyers said that Brukan was not allowed to meet with his family on the grounds of a disciplinary sanction.